Chapman, George
Al Fooles. A Comody, Presented at the Black Fryers, And lately before his Maiesty London: Printed [by G. ELD] for Thomas Thorpe, 1605. First edition with "Comody" uncorrected on the title-page. First two words of title xylographic, woodcut head- and tailpiece, final blank leaf. Signatures: A2-I? K. 4to. Red morocco gilt, gilt-stamped armorial supralibros of Miller, by W. Pratt; extremities slightly rubbed, lacking leaf A1 blank apart from signature mark, upper fore-edge corners of I1-K2 restored without loss, a few marginal soil marks, washed. First edition with "Comody" uncorrected on the title-page. First two words of title xylographic, woodcut head- and tailpiece, final blank leaf. Signatures: A2-I? K. 4to. Composed in 1599, and first performed under the title The World runs on Wheels, it is one of the few to have survived from this period in Chapman's career. According to CHEL, the work "displays a surprising advance in dramatic technique. The plot, partly borrowed from Terence, is ingenious and excellent, and makes a good framework for a satirical sketch of humours developed through amusing situations in the manner of Jonson. As a writer of comedy, here, as in Eastward Hoe .... Chapman appears to the greatest advantage."The play "received performances at the Rose, at Blackfriars (when Chapman transferred from the Admiral's Men to the Children of the Chapel), and at court (on 1 January 1605), testimony to the different theatrical circles in which the dramatist came to circulate and evidence of his predilection for writing for a number of different theatrical companies" (ODNB). STC 4963; ESTC S107687; Greg 219; Pforzheimer 142. Provenance: George Chalmers (bookplate); William Henry Miller (supralibros); S.R. Christie-Miller (Sotheby's, 10 March 1921, lot 18, to Rosenbach); Frank Brewer Bemis (bookplate); Harold Greenhill (bookplate); H. Bradley Martin (bookplate); Robert S. Pirie (bookplate)
[Bookseller: James Cummins Bookseller]